Hi from mum in Scotland with 15yr old

As Longman says English isn't usually a critical requirement in Engineering jobs (more often added by the HR department to tick thier boxes!). I also agree that the norm is a noisy shared office with constantly conflicting demands, not the favoured environment for an Aspie (usually). Engineering's advantage is that it feeds the endless curiosity and love of logic which at least keeps the grey matter usefully occupied.

We run an apprenticeship scheme at our works and I am very impressed at how well it works. The emphasis is on gradual learning both on the job and at college. The engineering courses all build up in stages and you can follow it through to a masters or further with the support of your employer. The other advantage is that it allows those who struggle with exams to shine through. That way when you finish the apprenticeship you're not viewed as a list of pass grades but as a valuable member of the team.

I did an apprenticeship myself and then followed up with a degree. I feel that the apprenticeship was by far the more rewarding route and the degree was little more than a painful paperwork exercise with little value compared to the apprenticeship.

I know that doesn't really help in the current situation but I would have to say that when we interview folks the thing that stands out to an engineer is if the person is interested and eager to learn. Most other things can be sorted out along the way.

Dunk

I am wondering first of all why your son needs an A level pass in English for engineering, there may be an equivalent certificate gauged to engineering requirements. You do need to be able to read and write to communicate effectively in engineering, just not necessarily the sort of stuff covered in an A level.

Engineering is a boad discipline - hardware, software, systems, computing, environmental, electronic, precision, motorsports, marine, aeronautic, construction............ If Rolls Royce works for him maybe that's a way forward via apprenticeship, but it is also narrow in terms of openings.

I agree with dunk-in-biscuit about the appropriateness of AS to engineering, but with the caution that this has shifted away from providing much chance of being left alone in a backroom to plug on with your obsession. Nowadays it is intensively teamwork based and in the UK, sadly, overly dependent on noisy inter-team committees.

My first twelve years after postgraduate research were in systems and aeronautical - but I didn't have an engineering qualification, I was there very much against the closed-shop rules as a specialised in sensor/map and graphics displays and ergonomics, which in those days engineers wouldn't touch. But it was stimulating working with a diversity of engineering backgrounds, and it clearly was a good environment for someone with AS.

Exams are a difficult area and I do suffer extraordinarily, but perhaps for the same reason the committment has latterly made me do well in them (didn't happen that way at school). If you can see the reason for them it helps. I didn't find memorising helpful because nowadays "question-spotting" is discouraged - dunk-in-biscuit must have been ever so lucky to get the questions he learned up - nowadays they hit on relevance and load questions to stop people memorising set answers.

Grades are important, but check available courses for grade needs. Top grades don't necessarily make for a good practical person, and its no use sweating for top passes if the courses don't require this. Where there is competition to get on courses that's when grades count.

Some people seem to manage to get through without visible effort. If your son seems indifferent but gets through all the same, don't grumble.

Luluginger is right about structure. I'm certain this is the best way. You need to distribute the load so you don't overstudy something that might not turn up in the exam, and ensure you have a mix of general knowledge/easy waffle and specialised learning. Also a structure can be used to incorporate different angles on what you are studying that interest you.

Also ensure he has breaks. Solid slogging isn't productive. Remission allows the brain to inwardly digest and process.

 I really struggled through school and mainly because I just couldn't write down what I wanted to say quickly enough. Now 40 years later I suspect I has Aspergers and that this accounts for many of the stuggles I've gone through.

When about 15 I realised that to get through my exams (most of which were essay based) I needed to find a way to speed up. Since I struggled thinking and writing at the same time I developed a technique where I learnt an essay topic/answer word for word. So when I was in the exam I just had to concentrate on writing and called the words and sentences up from memory. My revision consisted of writing out answers to typical questions over and over again.

It sounds an absolutely crazy plan but that was the method that I created to all on my own to fix my problem.

I'm now a Senior Engineer, who still takes hours and hours to write reports but I must say Aspergers really does sit well with engineering as it is the clarity of thought that is one of the most essential skills.

I'm not suggesting that your son copies what I've done because he will find his own approach. My guess is that he knows the subjects perfectly so the challenge is to find a way that unlocks the process of getting it down on the page.

For example can he close his eyes and dictate the answer? If he can memorise the answer by dictating it can he then practice writing down what he is dictating. Finally he may be able to dictate it silently and write it down.

One of my key weaknesses is doing more than one process at a time, something that NT people don't recognise as an issue. For me the solution is to break the task down into a series single activities. Eventuallty I can refine the process so it looks as if I just doing it naturally like the gliding swan paddling furiously beneath the water.

I don't know if you can find a way to share these ideas with your son.

Dunk

Hello MrsBoo,

This is the first time I have posted and as you can see from my profile I work with adults with more server disabilities than you son.  However, I do also work as a mental health support worker.  I work with a guy who is doing open university as a very high level.

As I'm sure you're aware, routine and structure are things that we all need and thrive off, despite hating the alarm and the slogg of getting up every morning, we all need it for good mental health.  I'm almost 33 now and I hate exam or being tested on anything - hates is a strong word but it is correct here.  I become very anxious, upset and aggressive - I was particularly verbally aggressive to my Mum because I knew how much she loved me and would put up with me.

Like i said, I'm not very experienced with people such as your son but thought I might suggest, probabley the obvious, which to make a study timetable with him with rewards at the end, keeping the time on these slots just below were his concentration becomes exhausted, even if it's as little as 15 minutes, and then he gets 10 or 15 minutes to do something he enjoys (computer games I imagine!).

I'm sure he will excel at the science aspects of his courses.  He should be receiving specific help with how to structure an essay - small bitesize pieces would maybe suit him.

As he has been diaganoised with aspergers, it seem unfair to make him sit English literarure, where as the rules of the English language may appeal to him.  Of course, I am being very presuptious that he doed not have a learning disabilities.

There are many organisation out there that help people manage their axiety - have you heard of 'Venture Scotland', if your soon son like the outdoors this may be something to look into, very good for confidence building and meetig peers, as well as good role models.

As to you seeking reassurance that exams are not thebe all and end all, having studied myself I would say the opposite is true now; employers want ecperience, committment as passion.

I would definitiley get you sone to check out some of the open university course, which are much better respected than years gone by.